BMW I8 · model year

2020 BMW I8

1 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2020BMWI8 carries 1 consumer safety complaint in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall Not Rated/5 rating, with Not Rated/5 front crash, Not Rated/5 side crash, and Not Rated/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2020 I8 is electrical system with 1 filings. Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2020 I8. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

1
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

1 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: Not Rated/5 — Not rated · Front: Not Rated/5 · Side: Not Rated/5 · Rollover: Not Rated/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1

Recalls (1)

20V60100030/09/2020

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 530e, 530e xDrive, 530e iPerformance and X3 xDrive30e and MINI Cooper Countryman All4 SE, 2020 BMW i8, and 2021 330e, 330e xDrive, 745Le xDrive and X5 xDrive45e vehicles. Debris may have entered one or more of the hybrid battery cells d

Recent Complaints

20210519ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 BMW i8. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V601000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY CELLS THAT WERE FAULTY. THE BATTERY CELLS WERE REBUILT HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER TWICE HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND WOULD BE GOING BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THE FOURTH TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO DETERMINE A SOLUTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 952.

Mileage: 952

Compare 2020BMWI8 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2020 BMW I8 have?
The 2020 BMW I8 has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2020 BMW I8?
The 2020 BMW I8 received an overall NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5, front crash rating of Not Rated/5, side crash rating of Not Rated/5, and rollover rating of Not Rated/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2020 BMW I8?
Yes, the 2020 BMW I8 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 BMW I8?
The most-complained component for the 2020 BMW I8 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 2020 BMW I8 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2020 BMW I8 has an NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.